Many of us look forward to summer; it’s the season of sunny weather, swimming, vacations, parties, barbecues and more. Unfortunately, insurance claims tend to rise in the summer. As a homeowner, you want to be prepared for unexpected damage and accidents that may occur in your home or property.
Of course, you want to have proper home insurance coverage, but there’s a lot of things you can do during the summer to help protect your home and keep your insurance costs low.
As your local Jacksonville, Florida Farmers agency, our team at Thomas & Associates is dedicated to help you through all stages of the home insurance process; from finding a policy to reviewing your changing needs year to year, we want to be your trusted insurance advisors.
For this article, we wanted to share the different ways you can keep your home safe this summer.
Grill fires – Grill fires are more common than you think. According to the Insurance Information Institute, there are about 5,700 grill fires in the United States each year, which causes $37 million in damage, 100 injuries and 10 fatalities per year. To help combat this, keep a fire extinguisher nearby when grilling. Do not grill in an enclosed area. Keep children and pets away from the flames. Regularly clean and maintain the grill and properly store it.
Theft/vandalism – If you go on vacation in the summer, your home is empty, and many burglaries or aggravated assault rates are higher because people assume no one is home. Home insurance will generally cover these home invasions, thefts, and vandalism, but there’s things you can do to protect your home from being a target. Install motion detection lights, purchase timers for lights in your home, put deadbolts on all the doors, install an alarm system, or a smart home system that can be controlled remotely.
Pool accidents – If you have a pool, you should raise the limits of your liability coverage to $300,000 to $500,000, according to the Insurance Information Institute. To prevent accidents and drownings, install a gate around the pool, always keep an eye on children, don’t allow people to run around the pool, limit alcohol intake when swimming, keep a first aid kit and flotation devices nearby.
Mold and mildew – Not all mold and mildew problems are covered by home insurance, especially if it is found that the issue could have been prevented. Keep your home as dry as you can during the summer by running the AC, fans, and dehumidifiers. Get your AC regularly maintained and check for leaks often in your kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms.
Pests – Keep pests out of your home by hiring a professional to spray repellents around your home. You can also buy insect repellent yourself and spray in and outside of your home. Keep your house clean by regularly vacuuming and washing clothing and linens so bugs aren’t attracted to the environment. Replace screens with holes. Set up citronella candles outside.
Storms – Florida deals with tropical storms and/or hurricanes every year. It’s important you figure out if hurricane and storm damage (wind damage, flooding, etc.) is included in your home insurance. If it is not, add it on. Before hurricane season arrives, make sure there are no cracks in your home’s foundation or broken tiles on the roof. Clean your gutters, purchase hurricane impact doors and windows, trim trees and bushes, and always secure outdoor furniture in inclement weather.
At Thomas & Associates, we are a team of certified home insurance brokers. We can help find you the best, affordable home insurance quotes in the Jacksonville area through Farmers. We’ve been helping individuals and families get home insurance plans since 1970. We represent the top Florida company with largest provider networks and most coverage options.
Get Home Insurance with a Broker in Jacksonville, Florida
Protect your home this summer by getting the right home insurance policy. With the right insurance policy, your home will be protected no matter the incident this summer. Our team will help you through every step of the home insurance buying process and make home insurance easy to understand. We will find you the best plan based on your home and budget.
The home insurance plan in Jacksonville that is “right” for you is the one that best fits your needs and budget. It’s our job to help you find the one that makes the best sense for your home and life. At Thomas & Associates, we are one of the first agencies to bring Farmers ® to Florida. We are here to serve you as your local Farmers ® agents and provide you with the best property/home insurance coverage that you need to stay protected.
If you have professional home insurance brokers working with you, everything will be explained to you in a clear, concise manner. If you’re thinking about purchasing home insurance, our certified agent brokers at Thomas & Associates insurance agency in Jacksonville, Florida, can help you get the best plan.
We will get you a plan that is affordable and gives you the proper coverage. Let us help you find the right home insurance plan.
Contact us for more information and to get a quote today! To work with our agents or learn more, click our Jacksonville page or call 19047303900.